The music industry has long celebrated resilience, endurance, and the idea that “the show must go on.” But behind the curtain, the mental health toll of life on the road, late nights, financial uncertainty, and constant pressure has quietly reached crisis levels. On January 27, Backline—a nonprofit dedicated to mental health and wellness for music industry professionals—took a major step toward addressing that reality with the launch of B-LINE, the first-ever 24/7 mental health and crisis hotline created specifically for the music industry.
B-LINE is now live, offering immediate, confidential support by phone at 1-855-BLINE99 or by text at 254-639. The service is available around the clock for artists, crew members, venue staff, managers, executives, and even family members within the music community—meeting the industry where it actually works: late nights, tour buses, green rooms, and moments of acute need.
For many in the live music world, the launch feels overdue.
Backline has been providing case management, therapy grants, tour support, and wellness resources since 2019, investing more than $3.5 million into mental health services and supporting over 84,000 people. Yet one critical gap remained: real-time crisis support. B-LINE is designed to fill that void, connecting callers with trained counselors who understand the unique pressures of working in music and providing a direct pathway into longer-term care when needed.
Momentum for the hotline accelerated following the 2025 Grammy Awards, when Best New Artist winner Chappell Roan used her acceptance speech to challenge the industry with a simple but piercing question: Who is caring for the artists if the industry isn’t? In the weeks that followed, Roan launched the We Got You fundraising campaign for Backline, drawing widespread support and helping turn a long-held vision into reality.
“This has always been the dream” said Backline co-founder and Executive Director Hilary Gleason. “We’ve supported thousands of music industry professionals in their mental health and wellness journeys, but one critical piece was missing: real-time access to care. B-LINE changes that.”
The initiative has been backed by major industry partners including Spotify, Live Nation, Noah Kahan, and The Busyhead Project, with additional support from organizations such as AEG Presents, Red Light Management, and the Wasserman Foundation. Backline is also working alongside Vibrant Emotional Health, a national leader in crisis support services, to ensure best-in-class care.
The statistics underscore the urgency. Suicide rates among musicians are nearly ten times the national average for males. Seventy-three percent of independent musicians report symptoms of mental illness, and a 2025 poll found that 8.3% of respondents experienced suicidal thoughts within the past year. These are not abstract numbers—they reflect a systemic problem that spans genres, scenes, and generations.
For the jam band community and the extended Phish universe in particular, mental health advocacy has increasingly become part of the conversation. Through creative and community-driven initiatives like PhanArt, fans have long used art, storytelling, and connection as tools for support and inclusion. Projects such as The Alphabet Book for Little Phans, The Grateful Book of Letters, and Counting Down the Number Line highlight how music culture can foster emotional connection from an early age—something that resonates deeply with Backline’s mission of long-term wellness.
Noah Kahan, who began working with Backline in 2023 to support his touring band and crew, emphasized that B-LINE represents a crucial first step. “Support for the wellbeing of the incredibly hard-working artists and people that make the music industry function has long been neglected,” he said. “A dedicated 24-hour hotline is the entry point toward a healthier future.”
B-LINE is not just a crisis line—it’s a statement that mental health care should be as essential to the music industry as soundchecks and load-ins. By offering immediate access to support and removing barriers of time, stigma, and industry misunderstanding, Backline is redefining what care can look like for the people who bring live music to life.
For an industry built on connection, B-LINE ensures that no one has to face their darkest moments alone.
For more information or ongoing support, visit backline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbeFOoF6Dzs
Learn more about artists mental health here.
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